Wild plugs in to reserve power source

With Gaborik and Demitra sidelined, a suddenly potent power play produced early and often in the Wild's victory over the Oilers.

By Michael Russo, Star Tribune

Last update: November 5, 2007 - 10:31 PM

No Marian Gaborik and Pavol Demitra?

No problem, at least Monday night against the young, depleted Edmonton Oilers, who paraded to the penalty box and paid dearly when the Wild exploded for four power-play goals en route to a 5-2 pounding at Xcel Energy Center.

The Wild entered with the 25th-ranked power play, but Mark Parrish scored twice and Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Kurtis Foster once as the Wild completed a four-game homestand (2-2) with consecutive victories.

"We had some pretty goals, some backdoor goals, some ugly tip goals. We had it all going," Parrish said.

The Wild, second in the Western Conference with 20 points, has five days off before embarking on a road trip to all four Northwest Division rivals. The team hopes the hiatus will allow enough time for Gaborik and Demitra, again sidelined by tweaked groins, to heal.

The Wild built a 3-zip lead by the end of the first period, but the last time the Wild did that, it bombed like a Pauly Shore movie. But the docile Oilers and the ferocious Calgary Flames are different animals, and this time, the Wild held on to beat the Oilers for the 14th time in 18 meetings.

"When we're missing guys like Demo and Gabby, two of our most important pieces, other guys have to step up," said Foster, who scored the winner. "It was a good team effort all the way through."

Niklas Backstrom made 22 saves to improve to 6-0 against the Oilers with a 0.83 goals-against average and .971 save percentage. The goalie's shutout streak against the Oilers ended at 209 minutes, 15 seconds when Dustin Penner scored in the second period.

Stephane Veilleux also scored for the Wild. Mikko Koivu had his second career three-assist game, while Petteri Nummelin, a defenseman who played forward because of injuries, had two assists.

"A lot of situations you don't know where to go," said Nummelin, who played 25 games at wing for Columbus in 2000-01. "You just go everywhere. You try to work hard, skate everywhere and probably skate too much. I'm just happy to be in the lineup."

Coach Jacques Lemaire said he would consider playing Nummelin at forward in the future, perhaps when the team has eight defensemen after Sean Hill's suspension soon ends.

The Wild's three power-play goals in the first period led to former teammate Dwayne Roloson's early exit.

Nummelin got it started. Standing along the left-wing wall doing his Bouchard impression, he sent a perfect cross-ice feed for a Parrish one-timer.

The Wild then scored twice in an 11-second span. First, it was Bouchard. Moments later, Foster, snakebit with several hit posts and missed nets, scored his second goal in 44 games while skating past the blue line.

This came soon after he missed an open net.

"It was 10 times easier to put in than the one he scored," Lemaire said. "He missed the net, I said, 'I don't think he'll ever score -- again.'"

Foster, who scored 10 goals as a rookie, said, "I just came to the bench and tried to forget about it. On the goal, I was just thinking, 'I've got a bomb here, so why not shoot one and see what happens.' It snuck in.

"I didn't even know what to do. I put my arms up and was smiling from ear to ear. It's a sigh of relief. Hopefully it's just the start."

Michael Russo • mrusso@startribune.com